Mystery blast in Shiraz, Iran

At least 12 people were killed and 200 injured after a bomb explosion in the in the Rahpouyan-e Vessal cultural center section of the Hosseynieh Seyed al-Shohada Mosque in the southern city of Shiraz on 12 April. The blast interrupted the sermon of well-known cleric Anjavinejad who was lambasting extremist Wahabi beliefs and the outlawed Baha'i faith - both of which are considered heretical by Shiites. Officials report that the blast was an accident and that leftover munitions from a past military exhibition were to blame. There are rumours that the authorities are covering up the incident, to what end nobody knows. If the blast was a terrorist act the prime suspects would be Arab seperatists, Kurd militants, followers of the Baha'i faith or Wahabists. "Investigations" are continuing.



Panicking congregants scatter as the blast rips through the mosque

Note on the city: Shiraz is a historical city of more than 1 million people and is known for being home to many scholars, artists and poets, and for local craftsmanship of rugs and metalwork. The tourist city, about 600km south of Tehran, is the capital of southern province of Fars. One of Iran's most famous cities, Shiraz is popular with foreign tourists because of its proximity to important ancient sites from the Achaemenid Empire that ruled much of Asia from 550-331 BC.